Gen V Season 1 Episode 5 Review: Welcome to the Monster Club
Denis Kimathi
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Since the series premiere, something felt off about Gen V, and it was the fact that there were some things that the writers were trying to hide actively.
It didn't make for a powerful story, and getting invested in it was not the easiest thing, but luckily for them, the characters were likable.
Gen V Season 1 Episode 5 was a turning point for the show where the major secret was revealed, and everything fell into place, suddenly making the story the focal point instead of the characters.
Luke's suicide didn't make much sense. The Woods was the stuff for legends that we got little sneak peeks into but weren't entirely invested in.
It continued being a complex affair when Marie would blackout and wake up in a new environment without knowing how she got there. It was interesting, but it got old quickly because there are only so many penises you can explode for shock value.
The show would have lost us if that had gone on for much longer.
Fortunately, everything was revealed in one episode, making this possibly the most critical and exciting episode of the entire season.
First, there was an explanation about what goes on in The Woods. It finally made sense why the place was important and quite dangerous because it was a glorified torture room before.
And given how much violent stuff the universe and the show features, we were desensitized to the screams of supes in pain.
The revelation that Doctor Cardosa was working on a virus that can help them control the supes was significant information that I would place close second to the disclosure about Compound V.
I am this fucking close to perfecting the virus. A viable way to control them for good. But if they discover that, I'm not paid enough to die for this shit.
Dr Cardosa
It will directly affect the lives of all supes, and there are a million ways it could change the universe as we know it. If Doctor Cardosa's trial becomes a success, this will bleed over to the narrative in The Boys.
It was an episode packed with surprises despite being thirty-five minutes long.
The biggest was that Cate had been wiping her friends' memories for a long time now, and that might have contributed if it wasn't the reason behind Luke's suicide.
To me, that didn't come as much of a surprise.
If you've been following along with our Gen V reviews, Cate was suspect since the first episode because her powers were more potent than anything other supes could pull.
The mind is the strongest thing in the human body, and someone with the power to control it should not be taken lightly.
The trappings were always there. Cate would gaslight other characters every time they presented a plausible theory about what had been happening.
While everyone was a victim of her antics, no one suffered more than Luke.
They were together constantly, sometimes without clothes on, and all that was needed was her touch. How many times had she touched him without him being suspicious?
Luke's mind was scrambled from all the confusion that was his world.
He would see his brother in the morning, but by the same evening, he would be sure his brother had died.
That mixed messaging broke his brain, and he couldn't take the contradictions. He would undergo grief several times, and that must do something to someone.
This revelation made me rethink everything in Gen V Season 1 Episode 1.
Cate might have sent Luke to kill Brink and then commit suicide. It was also possible that Luke had lost his sanity.
Even if she didn't enjoy doing it, she must have been getting something from Indira.
Another revelation was that Emma could grow big.
As the season progresses, it challenges everything we know about these supes' powers, and the fact that she can become a giant was never on my bingo card.
But after meeting her mother on Gen V Season 1 Episode 3, everything made sense.
These kid's parents put so much pressure on them that it was a surprise they could function normally.
Sam was dangerous. He was very dangerous.
It is one thing for someone to do bad things while being completely aware of their actions, but it is another for someone who doesn't know what they're doing is wrong.
Sam was mighty, evidenced by his bulletproof body and ability to rip humans apart like puppets.
While it didn't excuse Indira's behavior, it was understandable why she would try to find a way to control wildcards like Sam, even if she went about it the wrong way.
Marie and Jordan's relationship underwent a metamorphosis where, after waking up together, they confronted their feelings for each other that they had been trying to avoid.
Marie was all in on whatever that ended up being, but Jordan held back because they had issues to work through.
Jordan: What the fuck did you do to us, Dusty?
Marie: Hey, Jordan, he's just a kid. Leave him alone.
Andre: Dusty's not a kid. He's like 28.
Dusty: Yeah, and I still got a dick like a hairless caterpillar. Fuck my life!
For as long as they could remember, people had always preferred to present as male.
Their parents wanted them to be in a heterosexual marriage, and even their first girlfriend wanted a boyfriend.
It was understandable why they would be wary of what Marie might be looking for.
Jordan loved all their forms, and it was sad that not everyone did. They had paid a hefty price for it emotionally, and having someone who didn't penalize their existence would not be swell. It would be effin great if you catch my drift.
Intrusive Thoughts
- I have some hopes for Luke and Andre. What if they were in love, but Cate made them forget because she wanted Luke? That's possible, right? Please say yes.
Andre: Show's not the same without Luke's hot takes.
Cate: His commentary was hilarious. He hated that kid.
Andre: He really did.
Cate: Everything is different now.
- In the realm of dicks, there was one reference, and it had to be the most disturbing image I have had in my mind recently. I never thought I'd hear dick and caterpillar in the same sentence.
Jordan: What the fuck did you do to us, Dusty?
Marie: Hey, Jordan, he's just a kid. Leave him alone.
Andre: Dusty's not a kid. He's like 28.
Dusty: Yeah, and I still got a dick like a hairless caterpillar. Fuck my life!
- Oh, they were sassy using a rendition of 'I Put a Spell on You' at the end of the episode.
Over to you, Gen V Fanatics. What did you think of this episode?
Were you prepared for that? Drop a line in the comments section.
Denis Kimathi was a staff writer for TV Fanatic. He has watched more dramas and comedies than he cares to remember. Catch him on social media obsessing over [excellent] past, current, and upcoming shows or going off about the politics of representation on TV. Follow him on X.
